Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
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Kimball County taxpayers have paid a hefty price in the second Vencil Ash murder trial. The weeklong trial in late January and early February has cost the county more than $78,000 as of claims paid in late April. Ash was found guilty in the 2003 murder of Ryan Guitron. He was sentenced to life in prison in late March. Claims provided by the county clerk’s office show that the cost of the trial this fiscal year alone has more than doubled its budgeted amount. The county budgeted $30,000 for the trial this fiscal year, which began July 1, 2...
Kimball experienced a city-wide power outage with unknown cause Tuesday morning for approximately 45 minutes. The Kimball Electric Department had power back on shortly after 9 a.m. City Administrator Daniel Ortiz said that when a city-wide outage is experienced, crews must check the entire distribution system. Ortiz added that generally the issue is something apparent, such as a downed line or insulator. This time however they found no obvious cause in their search. “We suspect it was a bird or a squirrel somewhere,” Ortiz sai...
Banner County students took to the streets and other areas throughout the community last Wednesday (April 29) as part of the community clean-up day. The students picked up trash throughout the community. Pictured, from left, are BCHS students Cole Carey, Erika Geary, Abby Russell, Megan Gifford, Chelsea Knisley, Danielle Flick, Shay White and Paige Cross. Hiding is Garrett Grubbs....
Scott Brandt first saw the Oliver Reservoir 32 years ago, and he believes the changes being made to how the lake is run will hopefully restore its former glory. “I came to Kimball 32 years ago…32 years ago was the most vibrant I’ve seen this lake,” he said. “I was amazed. The whole community was involved, young folks to everybody. Everybody took pride in it and it was something everybody got involved in.” Brandt, a Nebraska game and parks officer, sees the South Platte Natural Resources District taking over the management of the lake as a s...
Jo Caskey was recently hired as the new executive director of the Kimball-Banner County Chamber of Commerce. "Jo will be expanding her role of promoting our community through tourism, and she is excited to use her many years of chamber experience to also benefit our organization," said Josh Enevoldsen, chamber board president, in an email to chamber members. Caskey has accumulated more than 20 years experience in both the tourism and the chamber of commerce fields. "I know how hard the chamber...
The 'Story' of Amber Wilke, nee Story, began in Kimball, where as a child she grew up with horses, bottle lambs and bucket calves and "anything else she could beg to take care of" at the end of her street. Wilke comes from a family of self-proclaimed workaholics and her parents are now busier than ever since they retired, she said. Her father is a wood worker whose talent can be seen throughout their home, and his creative side was passed on to his daughter. Wilke learned needle work at her gran...
Each Thursday at 10 a.m. starting in the spring, one can hear a tornado siren blaring over the speakers as it is tested in Kimball. The siren that indicates imminent danger differs from the fire siren in that the tone remains the same throughout the sounding while the fire siren undulates and is sounded for a shorter period of time. According to Kimball County Sheriff Harry Gillway, who is also the director of emergency management, there is no all clear siren. “The siren begins whenever a notice comes in from the National Weather Service or o...
The Kimball County commissioners approved an intersection change at Tuesday’s regularly scheduled meeting. After a public hearing in which no members of the public spoke, commissioners voted unanimously to remove the curve at the intersection of County Road 44 and County Road 37 north of Kimball. County Highway Superintendent Dave Hottell said the intersection was dangerous due to its shape. In addition to the regular intersection of the two roads, there is a curve on the northeast side that also connects them. Hottell said Tim Baxter of N...
Kimball volunteers worked well into the night last Thursday to outline the mural on the south-facing wall of the Kimball Bakery. Volunteers, include from left, Meg Strauch, James Schnell, Larissa Binod, Assunta Calise, and Dawn Moeser. Several other volunteers working on the mural were not pictured....
Simmons W. Cook Jr., 88, of Sidney, passed away at the Sidney Regional Medical Center, Monday afternoon, May 4, 2015. Graveside services with Military Honors will be held at 10:30 A.M., Thursday, May 7, in the Greenwood Cemetery with Rev. H. Douglas Peirce officiating. Friends may stop at the Gehrig-Stitt Chapel on Wednesday to sign Simmons’ register book and drop off condolences for the family. The casket will be closed. Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project. A full obituary will be published when available. G...
The Kimball Board of Education approved a new contract for Kelli Patterson at a special meeting held last Thursday in the district’s office at the high school. Patterson, formerly a teacher at Kimball Public Schools, was hired to fill the third kindergarten teacher position. As previously discussed at the last board of education meeting, this position will be flexible, allowing Patterson to teach other grades as needed in future years. Originally a board work session, the special meeting was called specifically so action could be taken on t...
Howard and Peggy Atkins are determined to be a part of a catalyst for change in the Kimball Community. “We want to stir up some interest,” Howard Atkins said, “get people thinking: What can I do? What can we do together? How can Kimball be more viable and attractive?” Through the Nebraska Community Foundation, Howard and Peggy have taken a giant step toward being that catalyst. The Nebraska Community Foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1994 by visionary community leaders who set their sights on transforming Nebrask...
Taking steps to keep people healthy is the idea behind the Kimball Community Health Fair set for Friday, May 8, at Kimball Health Services. A cooperative effort between Kimball Health Services and Wyoming Health Fairs, the health fair offers low-cost blood testing and free vital sign testing as a community service to help residents identify health problems before they become life-threatening. The event will run 7-11 a.m. Full blood chemistry profiles are available for $30. The profile is a full 32-level screening for bone and electrolyte...
Five southern Panhandle students, two with plans to become physical therapists, two planning to become nurses and another planning a career in laboratory science are the recipients of scholarships from the Kimball Hospital Foundation. Ryan Muneio, Enrique Cajero and Damien Rutledge, all of Kimball, and Jared Westman of Gurley will each receive $1,500 awards from the Foundation’s Healthcare Career Scholarship Program. Leah Uhlir of Sidney will receive a $3,000 award. This is the third year that Uhlir will receive a scholarship from the p...
Regional West Foundation is currently accepting applications for the Marjorie Jane Streeks Brown Scholarship. The $500 scholarship is available to Banner County High School graduates who plan to pursue a degree in a health care related field at an accredited college or university. Students must be in their third or fourth year of undergraduate study in order to qualify. Streeks Brown was born in Banner County in 1918. She remained an active member of the community throughout her life and was a strong supporter of education. To apply, send a...
Brent and Doris Curyea enjoy breakfast with a friend at the Eagles Lodge in Kimball on Saturday. The breakfast, which included hot cakes, eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy as well as beverages, was given in honor of mothers. Mothers were treated to breakfast free of charge and others in attendance were asked for a free will offering. It was the third consecutive year that the Eagles have held the Mother's Day breakfast....
Fifth grade teacher Laurie Janicek addressed more than 40 fifth grade students at the Kimball County Courthouse on Monday. Students attended live court cases, toured the Kimball County Jail and watched a roll over demonstration by State Trooper Bryan Woods....
On Thursday (May 7), contractors and the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) will be working on one of the City of Kimball’s electrical substations and the power line that feeds Kimball’s electricity. Work at the south substation is tentatively scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. and is expected to last into the afternoon and possibly into the evening. During this time, the city’s power plant will be generating electricity for the city. The city reports that it does not anticipate any interruptions in electrical service or outages, they may o...
Three groups of Mary Lynch Elementary School students placed in the top 100 nationally for the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! reading program. The combined sixth grade classes of Jamie Murdoch and Bernie Walker finished 21st nationally in the contest. Laurie Janicek's fifth grade class finished 34th nationally, and Carma Weisbrook's fifth grade class finished 85th nationally. In addition to the three Kimball classes, the fifth grade class of Lanelle Stumf in North Platte finished 45th nationally. Stumf is...
Congratulations to Kimball High School's April Student of the Month, Enrique Cajero. Enrique came to Kimball his freshman year and has participated in many activities throughout his high school career. He lettered in cross country his freshman year, football the next three years and was named all-conference honorable mention his junior and senior years. He also lettered in track the three years he participated. He also took part in One-act his junior and senior years. His favorite memories are...
What a weekend for the Kimball High Boys Golf Team and especially for sophomore Jordan Greenwood. Greenwood won back-to-back conference medalist titles on back-to-back days of competition and also shot his career low round of golf in winning the Western Trails Conference individual championship. The Longhorns travelled to Grant on Friday of this past week for the South Platte Valley Athletic Association tournament finishing runnerup to Bridgeport for the team honors as the Bulldogs shot 339 and...
The Potter-Dix boys 4x800 meter relay team had a record-breaking performance at last Tuesday's Best of the West meet in Scottsbluff. The Coyote team of Jake Johnson, Samuel Bogert, Cameron Purcell and Cooper Hicks broke the school record in the event with a time of 8:27.96. They beat the old school record by close to five seconds. Although Potter-Dix set a new school record in the event, Sidney won with a time of 8:26.15. It was the first time this season that the Coyotes have not won the 4x800...
Kimball senior Brady Land tied a school record in the long jump to lead the University of Nebraska-Kearney track and field team at the Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association outdoor championships held over the weekend in St. Charles, Mo. Land tallied six team points by going 24-5.75 in the long jump. Finishing in third place and scoring six team points, the big leap ties the school mark set by the late Clark Spanel in 2004. Already ninth on the national list, this latest leap should...
Kimball High sophomore Jaden Withrow proved he was the Best in the West at the Best in the West Classic Track and Field Meet held at Scottsbluff Bearcat Stadium this past week, winning the triple jump with a hop-skip-jump of 42'2.5." He didn't waste any time as all of the 8 contestants were allowed only 4 jumps each and Jaden sailed out on his winning jump on his first attempt. He was Kimball's only gold medal winner on the day and was one of two who were presented to the crowd on the award...
Tyson Dahlgrin had quite the week in the hurdles. The Banner County senior won the Minuteman Activities Conference title in the 110 meter hurdles and took second in the Best of the West meet in the event last week. Banner finished sixth in both the boys and girls standings at the MAC meet held Saturday in Bayard. The host school won both the boys and girls titles, edging the Potter-Dix boys by one point and the P-D girls by eight points to claim both conference titles. Dahlgrin won the 110...